The Division of Educational Research has responsibility for the development and coordination of the Center's educational programs. To meet the broad based educational deficit in the area of sickle cell disease, the Division addresses educational needs for patients and families, medical and allied health professionals, and the general community. Past educational activities and assessments have identified priority focal areas for the next funding cycle. The two major areas are a lay education research project and an education core. Division goals are: (1) to assure that adequate community education and outreach services are available for the general public; (2) to enable persons with sickle cell disease and their families to be active and informed participants in the patients' overall health care; (3) to provide sufficient education to enable individuals to make informed and voluntary decisions concerning sickle cell screening; and (5) to enable health care providers to adequately care for and counsel individuals concerning sickle cell disease and trait. Intermediate objectives for accomplishing the above goals are: (1) to provide multilevel education and training programs to meet the educational needs of patients and family members, medical and allied health professionals, vocational and social support agents and the general community; (2) to serve as a regional and national educational resource center; and (3) to make selected community leaders aware of new advances in sickle cell disease screening, management and therapy, as well as related genetic technology needed to increase and improve the effectiveness of community involvement in policy decisions which are not based solely on medical expertise.